The present invention relates, in general, to an electromotive drive mechanism for a body of furniture, and in particular to a drive mechanism of a type having a worm gear activated by a motor and essentially including a gearbox casing for housing a worm and a worm wheel which is in mesh with the worm.
The type of electromotive drive, involved here, is applicable for a wide variety of different articles of furniture, for example beds, slatted bed frames or the like and is considered a small power drive. Typical drive mechanisms of this type for operating a body of furniture include a worm which is either fitted in fixed rotative engagement onto the output journal of an electric motor, or forms the output journal itself to reduce the overall dimensions. As a consequence of the geometry of the worm and the worm wheel, relatively high gearing forces are encountered that may lead to a flexure of the output journal when subject to respectively high loads. Thus, the diminished contact ratio between the worm and the worm wheel results in increased wear. In particular, the flanks of the worm wheel wear off, leading to a fracture of the output journal, so that the drive must be repaired or replaced by a new drive.